Snails and slugs are well known garden pests. One way of dissuading their encroachment into gardens is to set an electrified fence in their path. There are many such devices in the known art such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,116 “Snail Barrier” issued to Cutter on Jun. 12, 1998. This type of fence generally comprises a first and second conducting surfaces separated by a non-conducting surface having a width less than the length of the animal. The animal attempts to cross the non-conducting surface and contacts both conducting surfaces causing an electrical current to flow through the animal. This deters the animal from further progress. A common problem associated with this type of fencing apparatus is that moisture in the form of rain or dew is able to create a current pathway across the non-conducting surface by wetting the entire non-conducting surface. This renders the barrier ineffective at a time when these animals are most active, that is, in moist conditions. As well, since the fence is effectively shorted, a battery power source will become quickly depleted.
Therefore there is a need for a pest deterrent fence that is able to function in high moisture environments and resist wetting of the non-conductive surface of such a fence.